Kaiser Franz Joseph I class protected cruisers (1889) Kaiser Franz Joseph I, Kaiserin Elisabeth (1889) SMS Kaiserin Elisabeth sea trials The first Austrian-built cruisers The only modern cruisers previously built for the Austro-Hungarian navy were the two Panthers of 1885 from the English Armstrong-Elswick shipyards and typical of this kind of economic export unit. They … Read more
Austro-Hungarian Destroyers (1909-1918) Introduction Destroyers in Austro-Hungary were a logical development of sea-going torpedo-boats, like in other navies. This lineage went to three stages, the third one being the result of war lessons and confined to the drawing board and then archives of the successors states. Speaking of Torpedo Boats, the old empire started early … Read more
SMS Kaiser Karl IV (1898) Pre-dreadnought Battleship The Kaiser Karl IV, second armoured cruiser: Assuming that the KuK Maria Theresia had been a semi-failure, the new director of shipbuilding, Friedrich Popper decided to create a new armoured cruiser inspired this time concepts used for the Habsburg. The result is a much larger, more stable and … Read more
Zenta class cruisers (1897) Zenta, Aspern, Szigetvar Three cruisers for a reverence: The Zenta class were obsolete by the time WW1 erupted. They had a short career, but despite of this, one ship eclipsed all others by feats of bravery rarely equalled in the Austro-Hungarian annals: Zenta duelled with French battleships for one hour before … Read more
Radetzky class battleships (1908) Radetzky, Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand, Zrinyi (1908) SMS Radetzky: the last Austrian pre-dreadnought In February 1906, HMS Dreadnought was leaving Portsmouth shipyards. On the same date back in the Adriatic, the three Herzerzog were in completion. The latter carried four 240 mm guns and displaced 10 000 tons versus ten 305 mm … Read more
Austro-Hungarian Torpedo Boats Austria-Hungary (1875-1916) Austro-Hungarian Torpedo Boats: The torpedo invention: Austro-Hungary almost invented the torpedo: An unknown Austro-Hungarian Officer designed in the middle of the XIXth century a small boat carrying a large charge of explosives. It was remotely steered by cable and propelled by a powerful steam or an air engine in order … Read more
Panther class cruisers (1885) Austria-Hungary (1885) Panther, Leopard, Tiger Austro-Hungarian Torpedo-cruisers These three cruisers are grouped together in the same class by convenience. In reality they differed in detail but overall proceeded of the same philosophy: In 1884, the Admiralty decided to order two torpedo cruisers from Great Britain to study foreign construction, and in … Read more
Monarch, Wien, Budapest The Coastal Battleships: This type of “pocket” battleship existed in any second or third-rate navy alongside torpedo boats for shoreline self-defense purposes. Still wielding relatively big guns and decent armour, they were a potent deterrent in 1914. But in the 1890s they were the cornerstone of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The Monarch class … Read more
Kaiserin und Königin Maria Theresia Austria-Hungary (1893) The first Austro-Hungarian Armoured Cruiser The KuK Maria Theresia (abbreviated) was the first armoured cruiser of the Austro-Hungarians. Before, the only spent experience was on protected cruisers of Kaiser Franz Joseph I class. It goes without saying that the engineers were inspired largely by her. However, this cruiser … Read more
Austria-Hungary (1909-1916) Austro-Hungary has full awareness of its small size compared to its immediate neighbours and long declared enemy, Italy, and France beyond the peninsula. Submarines, just like torpedo boats were a way to recover cheaply some form of parity, although the naval staff left the impression to late to recognize the potential of submersible … Read more
